Education Spotlight


RED HELIX TACKLES CYBER SKILLS SHORTAGE WITH CODING CLUB INITIATIVE


Red Helix, a leading UK cyber security managed service provider, believes in the importance of providing children with new learning opportunities and additional insight into the practical applications of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). For the UK to achieve its ambition to be a science and technology superpower by 2030, action needs to be taken now to provide a long-term boost to the cyber security sector.


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n today’s technology-driven world, STEM is becoming an increasingly significant part of children’s education. Children of all ages are encouraged to pursue careers in this space. With


this in mind, Red Helix launched an innovative coding club for primary school children that provides them with additional exposure to the real-world applications of STEM and stimulates an interest in these topics. The goal of this project is to address the chronic shortage of cyber


skills in the UK and encourage more diversity in the sector, with a specific focus on aiding social mobility. This has been achieved by targeting the program at children from primary schools local to Red Helix with higher pupil premium rates and inspiring other IT and cyber security companies to do the same. Designed by technology director at Red Helix, Rob Pocock, the


initiative runs for over six weeks, where Year 5 and Year 6 students create their own, personalised infinity mirrors with a coded control system activating different colours on the LED lights running along the outside of the mirror. Alongside coding, the children get the chance to use mathematics and work with different materials in design, before pulling it all together practically for the final outcome. “There is a pressing need for more cyber security skills in the UK,”


says Marion Stewart, CEO, of Red Helix. “As security providers, we have a responsibility to address this, not only now, but looking towards the future as well. Through the coding club, we aim to mitigate the impact of future skills shortages by planting a much- needed seed of inspiration at a younger age – with a focus on greater inclusion from a more diverse range of children and young people”.


www.pcr-online.biz The idea behind the coding club was sparked by a visit from


Aylesbury’s then mayor, Cllr Tim Dixon, and Cllr Sherrilyn Bateman. Following this, Red Helix approached Dawn Hanwell and Christine Sond, both teachers at Elmhurst School in Aylesbury, and took action to put together a program that would enhance the children’s education by giving them access to expert learnings from a company that has decades of experience in the IT and security industry. Alongside the immediate educational potential of the coding


club initiative, Red Helix and Elmhurst School have established a long-term relationship which will see the coding club running for many years to come. With cyber-crime consistently rising, the need for talent in the industry is growing. More partnerships between IT and cyber security organisations and educational institutes will help foster a new generation of cyber-literate individuals and make important steps towards bolstering the UK’s national cyber defences. Dawn Hanwell, STEM leader and teacher at Elmhurst School was


thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Red Helix for the coding club. “It is great to see a local company taking an interest in our children’s future and providing them with expert knowledge.” While the first coding club ran only for the children of Elmhurst


School, Red Helix has already extended the club to another local school and will gladly share details of the program with other schools and organisations to allow them to replicate it locally. With the support of the local authority, the Mayor and the schools, Red Helix hopes to make a real difference by capturing the interest of young children to help build long-term benefits to the cyber security sector in the UK.


January/February 2024 | 45


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